Tag: Pakistan Squad

Pakistan’s left-arm pacer Mohammad Amir has reacted to his inclusion in Pakistan’s squad for the upcoming five-match home T20I series against New Zealand.

Taking to X, formerly Twitter, Amir wrote: “Bismillah Hir-Rahman-Nir-Raheem” (In the name of Allah, most gracious, most merciful).

BISMILLAH HIR-RAHMAN-NIR-RAHEEM. pic.twitter.com/pgr6weyVML

— Mohammad Amir (@iamamirofficial) April 9, 2024

For the unversed, Mohammad Amir, in March, took his retirement back from international cricket and declared himself available for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, scheduled to run from June 1 in the USA and the West Indies.

“I still dream to play for Pakistan! life brings us to the points where at times we have to reconsider our decisions,” stated Amir.

“There has been few positive discussions between myself and the PCB where they respectfully made me feel that I was needed and can still play for Pakistan after discussing with family and we’ll wishers I declare that I am available to be considered for upcoming t20WC.

“I want do this for my country as it comes before my personal decisions. Donning the green jersey and serving my country has always been, and will continue to be, my greatest aspirations.”

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Mohammad Amir shockingly announced retirement from international cricket back in 2020 at the age of 28 citing differences with the then-team management.

Time and time again the star pacer was asked about making a comeback to international cricket, citing his exceptional performances in league cricket.

He claimed ten wickets in nine matches for Quetta Gladiators during the recently concluded Pakistan Super League (PSL) season nine.

He has represented Pakistan in 50 T20Is and picked 59 wickets at an average of 21.40.

Pakistan squad for T20I series against New Zealand

Babar Azam (c), Abrar Ahmed, Azam Khan, Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imad Wasim, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Amir, Irfan Khan, Naseem Shah, Saim Ayub, Shadab Khan, Shaheen Afridi, Usman Khan, Zaman Khan, Usama Mir

Non-travelling reserve: Sahibzada Farhan, Haseebullah Khan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Mohammad Ali, Salman Ali Agha

READ: Usman, Amir, Imad named in Pakistan’ squad for New Zealand series

LAHORE: Five women cricketers have been recalled to Pakistan white-ball squads as the National Women’s Selection Committee, led by Saleem Jaffar, announced a 16-member each ODI and T20I squads against West Indies women’s team.

The three ODIs – part of ICC Women’s Championship 2022-25 – will be played between 18 and 23 April, while the five T20Is will take place from 26 April to 3 May. All eight matches will be played at the National Bank Stadium in Karachi.

For the ODI series, wicketkeeper-batter Sidra Nawaz (67 ODIs, 56 T20Is), who last featured for Pakistan women’s team in the ODI series against South Africa in Karachi in September 2023, has been recalled.

For T20Is, four players – Ayesha Zafar (29 ODIs, 20 T20Is), Gull Feroza (2 T20Is), Rameen Shamim (3 ODIs, 4 T20Is) and Tuba Hassan (selected in both squads) (1 ODI, 21 T20Is) – have been recalled.

Ayesha last featured for Pakistan in the T20I format against South Africa in 2021, Gull Feroza’s last outing for the Pakistan women’s team in the T20I format was against Sri Lanka in 2022, while Rameen’s last T20I match was against South Africa in 2019.

Tuba, who made her ODI debut against Australia in 2023, last appeared in the T20I format against England in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in 2023.

Ayesha, Gull Feroza and Rameen, who are part of T20I squad, will participate in the National Women’s One-Day Tournament commencing in Faisalabad from 17 April. Before the T20I series, the three players will rejoin the national team squad.

At the conclusion of the ODI series, Sadaf Shamas, Sidra Nawaz and Waheeda Akhtar will move to Faisalabad to take part in the domestic one-day tournament.

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Leg-spinner Ghulam Fatima, who was part of the 20–player camp in Karachi, has been rested so that she can fully recover from the minor injuries she sustained in a freakish car accident last week.

Bismah Maroof, who was also involved in the same accident, will undergo a fitness test next week before a decision on her selection is made.

Saleem Jaffar, Chief Selector: “The selection committee, in consultation with captain Nida Dar and interim head coach, has finalised 16-member squads for the ODI and T20I series. Five players in the squads return due to their performances in the domestic tournament and good skills they demonstrated in the camp.

“The series against the West Indies is important for us as the ODIs are part of ICC Women’s Championship 2022-25. We are aiming to secure maximum points in the series, taking advantage of our home conditions, to enhance our chances for direct qualification for next year’s ICC Women’s ODI World Cup.

“The series against the West Indies also presents an opportunity for the players to showcase their skills and secure berths for next month’s England tour. The ongoing domestic one-day tournament continues to provide chances to players not involved in the series against the West Indies to produce strong performance and stake claims for places for the England series.”

Pakistan women’s squad for West Indies ODI:

Nida Dar (captain), Aliya Riaz, Bismah Maroof*, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana, Muneeba Ali, Najiha Alvi (wk), Nashra Sundhu, Natalia Parvaiz, Sadaf Shamas, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Amin, Sidra Nawaz (wk), Tuba Hassan, Umm-e-Hani and Waheeda Akhtar

Pakistan women’s squad for West Indies T20I:

Nida Dar (captain), Aliya Riaz, Ayesha Zafar, Bismah Maroof*, Diana Baig, Fatima Sana, Gull Feroza, Muneeba Ali (wk), Najiha Alvi (wk), Nashra Sundhu, Natalia Parvaiz, Rameen Shamim, Sadia Iqbal, Sidra Amin, Tuba Hassan and Umm-e-Hani

*Subject to fitness

Player support personnel: Saira Iftikhar (manager), Mauhtashim Rashid (interim head coach), Saleem Jaffar (bowling coach), Taufeeq Umar (batting coach), Hanif Malik (fielding coach), Muhammad Javed (strength and conditioning coach), Syed Nazir Ahmed (media manager), Rabia Siddiq (physiotherapist), Zubair Ahmed (analyst) and Nadia Arif (masseuse)

READ: Usman, Amir, Imad named in Pakistan’ squad for New Zealand series

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s squad for the five-match home T20I series against New Zealand will be unveiled on Tuesday, 9th April 2024, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced.

The national selection committee met Pakistan cricketers who featured in Kakul’s physical training camp at a local hotel in Islamabad.

Among the 29 players who featured in the camp, only Mohammad Rizwan was not present, as he had left for Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah on Sunday night.

In the meeting, the selection committee took the players in confidence regarding the selection policy, which includes rotation policy and providing opportunities to new players.

The national selection committee members present at the meeting were Abdul Razzaq, Asad Shafiq, Bilal Afzal, Hasan Cheema, Mohammad Yousuf and Wahab Riaz. Usman Wahla – Director International Cricket Operations also attended the meeting.

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New Zealand are slated to reach Pakistan on April 14, two days after Pakistan’s squad announcement, for the crucial series, leading to the ICC Men’s T20I World Cup.

Rawalpindi’s Pindi Cricket Stadium will host the first three T20Is between Pakistan and New Zealand on 18, 20 and 21 April.

The two sides will then travel to Lahore to lock horns in the remaining two T20Is on 25 and 27 April, respectively.

Pakistan Players who took part in the Physical fitness camp in Kakul are:

Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan, Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Sahibzada Farhan, Haseebullah, Saud Shakeel, Usman Khan, Mohammad Haris, Salman Ali Agha, Azam Khan, Iftikhar Ahmed, Irfan Khan Niazi, Shadab Khan, Imad Wasim, Usama Mir, Mohammad Nawaz, Mehran Mumtaz, Abrar Ahmed, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Naseem Shah, Mohammad Abbas Afridi, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Ali, Zaman Khan, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Aamir Jamal, Haris Rauf and Mohammad Amir.

READ: Babar Azam opens up on ‘painful’ defeat against Afghanistan in World Cup

All-rounder Shadab Khan on Tuesday, reacted after being left out from the Pakistan squad for the upcoming five-match away T20I series against New Zealand.

Wahab Riaz, the head of the national men’s selection committee, accompanied by selection consultant Kamran Akmal announced a 17-member Pakistan squad for the T20I series during a press conference.

Leg spinner Shadab Khan was not named in the squad due to an ankle injury, which he suffered during the National T20 Cup.

During the squad unveiling, Pakistan Chief Selector Wahab Riaz confirmed that Shadab Khan was rested from the series as he is recovering from a foot injury.

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Hours after the squad unveiling, Shadab Khan took to his X, formerly Twitter, and opened up on his exclusion from the Pakistan squad.

“Best of luck to everyone selected,” wrote Shadab. “I am currently recovering well from my injury & will start playing 4-day cricket soon.

“We have a culture of disliking those who are selected in favour of those who aren’t. Let’s be positive, support Shaheen and all the players.”

Best of luck to everyone selected.
I am currently recovering well from my injury & will start playing 4-day cricket soon. We have a culture of disliking those who are selected in favour of those who aren’t. Let’s be positive, support Shaheen and all the players. #BackTheTeam pic.twitter.com/whlYybjzKT

— Shadab Khan (@76Shadabkhan) December 19, 2023

For the unversed, social media was flooded with reports of Shadab Khan likely to be dropped from the squad due to his below-par performances recently. However, chief selector Wahab Riaz’s clarification put an end to the rumours.

Pakistan’s squad for the New Zealand series feature a mix of established players, some new faces and a couple of returns.

Three emerging cricketers Abrar Ahmed, wicketkeeper batter Haseebullah Khan and pace bowler Abbas Afridi earned their maiden call-up to the T20I squad of Pakistan while Sahibzada Farhan and Azam Khan returned to the squad.

Farhan has previously represented Pakistan in three T20Is back in 2018.

Explosive wicketkeeper batter Azam Khan was also recalled into the T20I side, after missing out in the last T20I series against New Zealand.

Pakistan’s squad will partake in a training camp from 28 December 2023 to 03 January 2024 in Lahore to prepare for the tour.

In addition to the selected played in the squad, some additional players have also been invited to feature in the training camp, including, Ahmed Shehzad, Omair Bin Yousuf, Kamran Ghulam, Mohammad Amir Khan, Sajjad Ali, Mohammad Haris, Aarif Yaqoob, Shahab Khan and Mohammad Imran Jnr.

Pakistan squad for the tour of New Zealand

Shaheen Shah Afridi (c), Babar Azam, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Saim Ayub, Fakhar Zaman, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Nawaz, Abrar Ahmed, Usama Mir, Haris Rauf, Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Zaman Khan, Aamir Jamal, Azam Khan (wk), Sahibzada Farhan, Haseebullah Khan (wk) and Abbas Afridi.

Schedule of the Series

First match: New Zealand vs Pakistan, 12 January, Auckland

Second match: New Zealand vs Pakistan, 14 January, Hamilton

Third match: New Zealand vs Pakistan, 17 January, Dunedin

Fourth match: New Zealand vs Pakistan, 19 January, Christchurch

Fifth match: New Zealand vs Pakistan, 21 January, Christchurch.

READ: Wahab Riaz opens up on Nawaz’s selection for New Zealand series

PERTH: Right-arm off-spinner Sajid Khan on Tuesday evening, reached here to join the Pakistan squad ahead of the first Test of the three-match series against Australia, scheduled to commence on December 14.

Sajid Khan was added to the Pakistan squad after mystery spinner Abrar Ahmed was ruled out of the first Test.

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Notably, during Pakistan’s four-day practice game against the Prime Minister XI, Abrar left the field of play due to severe pain in his right leg around his knee.

“During an assessment by the medical team, a provisional diagnosis was made – justifying an MRI scan, which was done on the same day,” the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) shared on Sunday.

“Abrar will undergo an intervention in Perth on Monday, after which conservative rehabilitation under the supervision of the team’s medical staff, will continue his road to recovery,” the statement added.

The cricket board further shared that Abrar Ahmed has not yet been ruled out of the entirety of the series and his availability in the second Test depends on his fitness and recovery.

“He has not been ruled out of the test series yet, but keeping the player’s wellbeing in mind for this and future tours, further assessment before the second test will ascertain his availability on this tour,” stated PCB.

Sajid Khan, who last represented Pakistan when Australia toured Pakistan in March last year, has thus far played seven Tests.

The off-spinner has 22 wickets to his name at an average of 37.81 with the best bowling figures of 8/22, which came against Bangladesh in December 2021.

Pakistan squad

Shan Masood (c), Aamir Jamal, Abdullah Shafiq, Abrar Ahmed, Babar Azam, Faheem Ashraf, Hasan Ali, Imam-ul-Haq, Khurram Shahzad, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Rizwan, Mohammad Wasim Jr, Nauman Ali, Saim Ayub, Salman Ali Agha, Shaheen Afridi, Saud Shakeel, Sarfaraz Ahmed

Schedule of Pakistan’s Test tour of Australia

First Test: December 14-18, Perth Stadium
Second Test: December 26-30, Melbourne Cricket Ground
Third Test: January 3-7, Sydney Cricket Ground

READ: Pakistan thrash Afghanistan to reach U19 Asia Cup 2023 semi-finals

LAHORE: Inzamam-ul-Haq, the national chief selector announced a 15-member Pakistan squad for the upcoming ICC World Cup 2023, the notable selection, however, was the returning pace-bowler Hasan Ali.

Hasan Ali returned to the Pakistan ODI squad after one year, replacing injured fast bowler Naseem Shah, who injured his right shoulder during the Asia Cup 2023 match against India. He last played an ODI match against West Indies in June 2022, where he picked up two wickets.

The head of national selection committee, Inzamam-ul-Haq justified Hasan Ali’s selection on the basis of experience and injuries to other pace bowlers.

“We were forced to make one change [Hasan Ali] because of an unfortunate injury to Naseem Shah,” said Inzamam-ul-Haq. “Our fast bowlers are facing injuries, [Mohammad] Hasnain has an ankle injury and is out injured and so is Ihsanullah, so Hasan Ali has been included in the team on the basis of experience.”

He also explained the reason for Hasan Ali not replace Naseem Shah in Asia Cup 2023 instead of Zaman Khan.

“Hasan Ali was suffering from a finger injury at the time when Naseem Shah got injured in the Asia Cup,” Inzmam-ul-Haq explained.

Hasan Ali underwent surgery after he injured his finger while playing for Dambulla Aura in the Lanka Premier League (LPL) playoff game against Galle Titans last month. He picked up eight wickets at an astonishing average of 16.12 in the five games in the tournament.

Hasan Ali has represented Pakistan in 60 ODI games and picked 91 wickets, since his debut in 2016. He was also part of Pakistan’s squad in the ICC ODI World Cup 2019, as well as Pakistan’s successful Champions Trophy triumph under the leadership of Sarfaraz Ahmed in 2017.

The 15-member Pakistan team will kick off their World Cup campaign against the Netherlands on October 6 at Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad. Prior to that, they will play two warm-up matches against New Zealand and Australia on September 29 and October 3 respectively.

READ: Mohammad Hafeez steps down from PCB Cricket Technical Committee

Inzamam-ul-Haq, the head of the national men’s selection committee, today announced Pakistan’s squad, featuring the returning pace bowler Hasan Ali, for the upcoming ICC World Cup 2023 in India, commencing on October 5.

Pakistan’s all-format captain Babar Azam will lead the 15-member Pakistan squad in the mega-event, while all-rounder Shadab Khan will serve as his deputy.

Experienced pace bowler Hasan Ali returned to the Pakistan ODI squad after one year, replacing injured fast bowler Naseem Shah, who injured his right shoulder during the Asia Cup 2023 match against India.

“We were forced to make one change [Hasan Ali] because of an unfortunate injury to Naseem Shah. We had a few injury scares in the recent Asia Cup, but I am glad to share that all the players are fully fit and are eager to perform for their country in the all-important tournament,” chief selector Inzamam-ul-Haq explained in the press conference.

Hasan Ali last played an ODI match against West Indies in June 2022, where he picked up two wickets. He has represented Pakistan in 60 ODI games and picked 91 wickets, since his debut in 2016. He was also part of Pakistan’s squad in the ICC ODI World Cup 2019.

🚨 Our squad for the ICC World Cup 2023 🚨#WeHaveWeWill | #CWC23 pic.twitter.com/pJjOOncm56

— Pakistan Cricket (@TheRealPCB) September 22, 2023

Young pace bowler Zaman Khan and wicket-keeper Mohammad Haris, who were part of the Pakistan squad in Asia Cup 2023, are named as reserve players along with leg spinner Abrar Ahmed, who has represented Pakistan in six test matches.

Meanwhile, Tayyab Tahir and Faheem Ashraf from Pakistan’s Asia Cup squad failed to make it into the ICC World Cup 2023 squad. Faheem Ashraf played three matches and picked up three wickets in the tournament, while Tayyab Tahir did not feature in any game.

Inzamam-ul-Haq also gave an update about pace bowler Haris Rauf’s recovery after getting injured during the match against India in the Asia Cup.

“I have received encouraging reports from our medical panel about Haris Rauf. He has started to (shadow) bowl at the National Cricket Academy and will be available for selection,” said Inzamam-ul-Haq.

The former captain showed faith in the current bunch of players and backed them to make the nation proud with their performance in the ICC World Cup 2023.

“This team has performed wonderfully well over the last couple of years and that is why we have shown faith in the same bunch,” he said.

“I have a firm belief that this squad can bring the World Cup trophy to Pakistan and make the whole nation proud with their incredible performances.”

The Green Shirts will kick off their World Cup campaign against the Netherlands on October 6 at Rajiv Gandhi International Cricket Stadium in Hyderabad. Prior to that, they will play two warm-up matches against New Zealand and Australia on September 29 and October 3 respectively.

Pakistan ICC World Cup 2023 squad

Babar Azam (c), Abdullah Shafiq, Fakhar Zaman, Imam-ul-Haq, Iftikhar Ahmed, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Shadab Khan, Mohammad Nawaz, Usama Mir, Haris Rauf, M Wasim Jnr, Hasan Ali, Shaheen Shah Afridi, Saud Shakeel, Salman Ali Agha.

Travelling Reserves: Zaman Khan, Mohammad Haris, Abrar Ahmed

READ: ‘We’ll see’: Messi is unsure about FIFA World Cup 2026

LAHORE: The much-anticipated Pakistan squad for the upcoming ICC World Cup 2023 will be announced on Friday morning, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) confirmed.

In an official statement, the PCB revealed that the national men’s Chief Selector Inzamam-ul-Haq met PCB management committee chairman Zaka Ashraf on Thursday afternoon and finalized the 15-member squad for the ICC World Cup 2023.

“Inzamam ul Haq, chief selector, who couldn’t make into the meeting yesterday due to a medical emergency but met Zaka Ashraf on Thursday afternoon to share his input,” PCB said in a statement.

“After the completion of the review, Inzamam has finalised the Pakistan squad for the ICC World Cup, which will be announced on Friday morning in a press conference scheduled to take place at 1115 am at Level 2, Far-End Building of Gaddafi Stadium,” the statement added.

The PCB also reviewed the national men’s team’s performance in the recently concluded ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2023.

The PCB high-ups under the Chairman Management Committee Zaka Ashraf on Wednesday evening met with the National coaching staff headed by Mickey Arthur, captain Babar Azam, vice-captain Shadab Khan, and former captains Misbah ul Haq and Mohammad Hafeez.

In the meeting, the complete men’s national coaching staff which includes head coach Grant Bradburn, batting coach Andrew Puttick, and bowling coach Morne Morkel were also invited to report on the team’s recent performance.

The review meeting was also attended by Dr Sohail Saleem to brief about players’ injuries and the way forward for players’ rehabilitation programs.

In a robust analysis, every aspect of recent team performance, player fitness, and future plans came into discussion with a view to bringing improvement to the side. There was an agreement on making a better approach and strategy on players’ workload. The importance of strengthening the bench was also emphasised.

Chairman Management Committee Zaka Ashraf: “The philosophy behind this review was to create an atmosphere of open discussion and develop consensus. The idea is to have everyone on board and debate about performances, identifying the problems and their solutions. We have to debate strengths and weaknesses so that we are clear about what and where we need to invest for the betterment of our team.

“Discussion revealed that the previous management had allowed a lot of players to play league cricket which caused them to fatigued ahead of their national duty. But going forward we have agreed to form a proactive approach to tackle players workload and give national duty a priority.

“I am glad we had a good positive review session and are on the same page. We are confident that the experience gained in the Asia Cup was a learning curve and will help prepare for the ICC Men’s World Cup.

“Our team is filled with talent, and we believe they have the capability to compete and win at the highest level. We have world-class batters and bowlers and are committed to providing them with the necessary support and resources to ensure they are well-equipped ahead of the mega event.”

READ: Joe Root rested for remaining Ireland ODIs to prepare for ICC World Cup 2023

COLOMBO: Pakistan squad is set to depart for Pakistan via Dubai today, after getting knocked out of the ongoing ACC Men’s Asia Cup 2023 yesterday.

Captain Babar Azam, Shaheen Afridi, Mohammad Rizwan, Iftikhar Ahmed and Saud Shakeel departed for Dubai in the morning, from where they will reach Pakistan to their respective hometowns.

Meanwhile, other squad members will fly to Dubai from Colombo in the evening. They will then depart for their respective destinations from Dubai later.

Bowling coach Morne Morkel and batting coach Andrew Puttick will fly to Australia and South Africa.

Pakistan team was knocked out of the Asia Cup 2023 yesterday after losing to Sri Lanka in the last-ball thriller by two wickets.

Sri Lankan while chasing a revised target of 252 in the reduced 42 overs, needed to chase eight runs off Zaman Khan, bowling the final over, and amassed the total when Charith Asalanka chipped one down to the square leg on the final delivery.

Pakistan’s final Super 4 group match became a virtual quarter-final after Pakistan’s net run rate suffered a major nosedive due to their heavy 228-run loss against arch-rivals India in their second Super 4 match of Asia Cup 2023.

Star batters Virat Kohli and KL Rahul scored unbeaten centuries after the match was forced into the reserve day due to the heavy rain in Colombo. Kuldeep Yadav, then wreaked havoc on the Pakistani batting line-up as he picked five wickets to book Pakistan to a meagre 194 while chasing a mammoth 357.

Prior to that, Pakistan powered to a resounding seven-wicket victory over Bangladesh in their first Super 4 match at Lahore, thanks to a combined effort by both batters and bowlers.

Haris Rauf picked four wickets in the first innings to rattle Bangladesh, which was followed by half-centuries by Imam-ul-Haq and Mohammad Rizwan in the pursuit of Bangladesh’s 193.

READ: Injured Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah still in World Cup 2023 contention

Pakistan have made an addition to their squad for the Men’s ODI Asia Cup 2023. Left-handed batter Saud Shakeel has been added to the 17-member squad.

Following Saud Shakeel’s inclusion in the national squad, Tayyab Tahir has been demoted to the travelling reserves.

Notably, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) unveiled an 18-member squad for the three-match ODI series against Afghanistan.

The 18-member squad was then supposed to be trimmed down to 17 as Saud was only picked for Afghanistan ODIs.

The Babar Azam’s side will arrive in Multan on Sunday, 27 August, and will rest the next day.

The team management has provided relaxation to the players who participated in the Lankan Premier League. Babar, Imam-ul-Haq and Naseem Shah will travel to Lahore on Sunday and join the side on Monday evening.

The players will train on Tuesday, 29 August, at the Multan Cricket Stadium from 1630 till 1930. Before the start of the session, the Pakistan captain will hold a pre-series media conference.

This year’s Asia Cup will kick off with host Pakistan taking on Nepal in the curtain raiser on August 30 in Multan.

Pakistan will host a total of four matches including a Super 4s fixture.

India’s group stage matches including the anticipated clash against Pakistan, scheduled on September 2, will be held in Kandy while the rest of the Super 4s matches, including the final will be played in Colombo.

The arch-rivals Pakistan and India will come face to face again on September 10 in Colombo if both manage to qualify for the Super 4s.

Like the previous edition, the Asia Cup schedule holds a possibility of treating the cricket fans with a maximum of three Pakistan-India matches in a single tournament if both arch-rivals, in a first, simultaneously qualify for the final.

The upcoming edition of the Asia Cup features six teams, divided into two groups, the top two teams from each group will then qualify for the Super 4s. The continental event will run from August 31 to September 17.

Hosts Pakistan are placed in the same group as arch-rivals India and Nepal while the other group includes defending champions and co-hosts Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.

The Asia Cup 2023 will be played in the ODI format and will serve as an opportunity for the Asian teams to bolster their preparations for the upcoming ICC Men’s World Cup.

Pakistan squad: Babar Azam (captain), Shadab Khan (vice-captain), Abdullah Shafique, Faheem Ashraf, Fakhar Zaman, Haris Rauf, Iftikhar Ahmed, Imam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Haris (wk), Mohammad Nawaz, Mohammad Rizwan (wk), Mohammad Wasim Jnr, Naseem Shah, Salman Ali Agha, Saud Shakeel, Shaheen Afridi and Usama Mir

Traveling reserve: Tayyab Tahir

READ: Major blow to Sri Lanka as Hasaranga, Chameera ruled out of Asia Cup